by Cin Medley
“No, Mr. Simon, she fought us tooth and nail concerning you. I ordered her to get close to you and she refused.”
She refused, so she came to me on her own terms. She didn’t share what they shared together with anyone, instead she left. So, what we shared was real. My heart started to hurt. She left to save me, to protect me. God, beautiful, where did you go?
“Mr. Simon, if she ran, she did it under cover.”
“What does that mean if? What aren’t you saying?”
“Do you agree to help us?” Mr. Bower asked.
I need to find her. I need to know if what we shared was part of her job. I already knew the answer or at least I hoped, but I need her to confirm it. I’ve wanted that bastard to pay since Sylvia was murdered. I just couldn’t find him. I have done somethings that would warrant prison time.
“You’ll clear my charges?” He nodded. “You’ll get me out of the shit I’m in?” He nodded again. “When this is done, you’ll tell me where she is?”
“I don’t know where she is Mr. Simon.”
“You’ll help me find her when this is done?”
“I will do everything in my power to help you. Yes.”
“Then I’m in. Now tell me who she is.”
“Her name is, Victoria.” He took a deep breath. I looked around the room at the other men. They were all acting strange. “She is, or was British Intelligence.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
“No Mr. Simon I am very serious. She was disinvolved, at her request six years ago when she became pregnant. Unfortunately, although she has no knowledge of this, someone made an attempt on her life, in order to control her brother and she lost the baby. It was such a traumatic accident that she is no longer able to have children.”
“So she’s married?”
“No. Well it will be three years in a few days, her brother and his wife were murdered. His wife was pregnant, the baby survived. When she received the phone call from MI6, she left her husband, took the baby and went into hiding. About a year later we finally caught a break and discovered Andy Marciano, as the source of his death. He is an arms dealer, selling out to the highest bidder. When Victoria was informed of our findings, she volunteered, to be reinstated.” So, she’s after Marciano.
“Why?”
“Mr. Simon, Victoria holds exceptional skills.”
I chuckled, “Yeah I know she leveled two of my men without breaking a sweat.”
“Yes, but besides her, physical attributes, she also has and eidetic memory. She doesn’t forget a damn thing she sees.”
I closed my eyes, remembering how she looked at me, her fingers tracing my face. She was memorizing me. Her submission to me was real.
“She is close to finding Mr. Marciano. Closer than anyone has come.”
“So why do you need me?”
Two of the men got up and walked to the door. I watched them, as I turned my head back to Mr. Bower, he said. “After we analyzed all the information she has gathered in her six months here, we know who he is. Although we believed him to be you, she was very adamant that it was not you. She was more afraid of you as a man than she was of you being Mr. Marciano. She was the one who brought it to our attention that he or his name was an alias. Like a shell company. Finding him was like looking for a dummy corporation. But we have in fact discovered who he is.”
I sat there looking at him. My mind running in twenty different directions. “What aren’t you saying?”
“There is a great deal I’m afraid Mr. Simon, that I cannot disclose to you right now.” The look in his eyes was saying something different. I needed to figure it out. “Our problem now that Victoria is missing is our access to him. That and the fact that we don’t know if she has disappeared on her own accord, or if she was taken. I’m afraid it will be at least a week until we can verify that.”
“So what do you want from me?” None of this is right. It’s a smoke screen, by why?
He reached in his pocket and handed me a phone. “Do not turn it on, unless you need to contact us. Then only send a text to the number programmed into the phone. Afterwards, delete the text and turn the phone off. Keep it someplace safe, and please do not let anyone know you have it.” His eyes gave off that look again. What the fuck am I missing here? “If we need to contact you, a message will be in your mail box, the return address will be the Art Institute.”
“What am I supposed to do?”
“Live your life, continue cleaning up your life. Do what you’ve been doing and don’t tell a living soul what is going on. No one, Mr. Simon and I mean no one. We will get in touch with you when we have information concerning Victoria.”
Shaking my head, “No, I need to find her, I need to make sure she is fine.” I think my panicked tone sparked something inside him.
“What aren’t you telling me Mr. Simon?”
“Yesterday, when she called me. I found her on her hands and knees on the beach. She was destroyed. What happened to her? I know her frame of mind, and it wasn’t her normal self.”
I watched as he looked at the other men. One of them nodded. He turned to look at me. “Yesterday, she discovered that her husband, had divorced her and remarried and is having a child. She actually fainted when it was confirmed.”
I just sat there. My mind whirling a million miles a minute. She came to me, because the man she loves wasn’t waiting for her. She said that she wasn’t available to me. But when she discovered she was, she came to me, she gave herself to me.
I stood up and walked to the door. “Mr. Simon, not a word to anyone.”
“No one,” I said softly.
“Not a soul.” He reinforced.
I walked out of there with more questions than I had answers. What was I going to do? Where could I start looking?
Chapter Eight
I held it together all the way across the pacific. It wasn’t until I rented a car to drive myself to Surrey. When I got away from the airport I pulled over. I let the pain out. It took everything I had to walk out of his apartment. To leave him lying in the bed naked and sedate. I think this pain is worse than when I left Steven.
I still can’t believe he remarried. I really can’t blame him, I just up and left him. I wonder what he would do if I just showed up. Shaking my head, I can’t do that. I need to keep moving. I need to get to my love. I know there is a price on my head, but I also know he isn’t looking for me. I pulled myself together and I drove. Hours passed, until I dropped the car off. I jumped in a taxi and headed home. Home to my world, to my beautiful little cottage, to my beautiful little life.
Pulling up, it was late. Walking up to the house my heart was racing. It’s still as beautiful as the day I bought it. Using my key, I let myself in and made my way through the house to the door that held my heart. Slowly I opened it. There she was, her tiny body in her big girl bed. I popped my shoes off, pulled my wig off and crawled in bed with her. My eyes closed and sleep greeted me with open arms.
When the light from the new day crossed my eyes, I opened them to the feel of a tiny hand on my face. To see her beautiful face next to mine. Her hair is longer, full of curls. Her bedroom door opened as Ruth came in the room. I put my fingers to my lips, I saw her tears as she nodded and left us. Her face is chubbier, her pouty lips fuller. I looked in her mouth, she has all her teeth. I missed so much on this fucked up mission. But I need for her to be safe, to stay safe. For Johnathan, I need her to live a long life.
Her hand moves along my cheek, she still does the sucking thing with her little mouth. My tears just come. So innocent, so pure. I would die for her. She opens her eyes, and blinks a few times.
“Uh, momma?” She whispers.
“Hi beautiful, Happy Birthday.” I whispered back.
She threw herself at me hugging me. I couldn’t stop the tears. She has never called me momma before. She feels so good in my arms, she smells like heaven. She pulled back.
“Don’t cry momma. I love you.”
“I love you too, beautiful. It’s your birthday.”
“Are you my present?”
“Would it be okay if I was?”
She nodded, “Yes.”
I laughed, “Come on let’s go see what Ruth has to eat. I’m so hungry.”
She giggled, “Ruth is making panny cakes for me. Cuz it’s my birthday.”
“Well I love panny cakes.”
Together we walked into the kitchen holding hands. Ruth hugged me, we ate and I told them of my adventure.
“Are you leaving again?” She said with a sad voice.
“Just one more time, and then I am never leaving you again. I just have one more thing to do and then we will live here in our cottage forever. I promise.”
“But you are here now.”
“I am, and I am so looking forward to making cookies with you and to walking along the beach.”
Her smile said it all for me. She finished her pancakes and got down to go with Ruth to get dressed. I walked over to my backpack and took out her present. I sat it on the little table by the door so she could find it. Ruth walked into the room.
“How are you my dear?”
I looked at her, “Not so good. But I’m better now. Where’s Joanna?”
“She is gathering up all the pictures she’s drawn for you.”
I smiled, “Ruth, I can’t thank you enough for taking care of her.”
“It has been my pleasure.”
“I’m going to be home for a week or two, why don’t you take a vacation or something.”
She smiled, “I think I might miss you two, too much. But I wouldn’t mind a few days away. Are you sure?”
“So sure. I just want to reconnect with her. She called me momma, this morning.”
Ruth smiled, and moved to the kitchen.
I heard Jo running down the hallway. “Momma, where are you?”
“In here beautiful.”
She came running in with her arms full of drawings. We sat on the sofa while she showed me each one and told me what it was. We were there for over an hour. Then we went for a walk on the beach. She has grown so much in the six months I’ve been gone. So smart just like her dad. One day I will tell her about him, when she is old enough to understand.
By the time we got back to the house Ruth had lunch ready. We ate laughing and talking, then it was nap time. I wanted to take a shower and feel normal again.
I walked into my room. Nothing had changed, a bit dusty but nothing else. I stripped and got in the shower. I didn’t want to wash his scent off me, but I needed to feel clean. As I washed my body, my mind kept flashing to his hands on me. To his lips, his body, his mouth. I think I might have fallen in love with him. The physical part of us, is electric. I didn’t have the chance to know the mental part of him. It didn’t matter, he was just what he was. A way to make the pain stop.
As I sat on my bed, putting lotion on my legs, I kept hearing a crinkling sound, like paper being squished. When I pulled back my blanket I found a few pictures that Jo had drawn. They looked like Ruth and a man. I know it wasn’t me, Ruth had short hair, but the last time Jo saw me my hair was long.
There was one of her and a man, his hands were on her arms. There was one of her and she looked like she was crying. Then there was one with the man’s hand raised. My heart was racing. Why are these in my bed? Was Jo so scared that she drew them? Did she think she would get in trouble for drawing them? She draws so well for a three-year-old. I looked at the door. I took the pictures and put them in my bottom drawer under my sweats, and headed out to watch Ruth. Something was not right and my three-year-old niece knew it. Of course, she knew it, she is her brother’s daughter.
Walking into the kitchen I grabbed a glass of water and sat on the counter. “I’m going to run into town and grab a few things,” I said, “Do you need anything?”
“Oh no dear, but I’ve called my sister. So I’m going to be leaving in the morning. Could you give me a ride into town?”
“Of course.” I jumped down. “I’ll be back in a little bit.”
I went and got in the car. Something is very wrong, Ruth doesn’t have a sister. I think it was her way of telling me something was not right. I drove to town, I wasn’t being followed, so I’m not sure if I’m on the right track or not. I parked and got out of the car. I went to a few stores, one I bought a phone. Sending three messages. Then I went to the hardware store and bought a few things, then to the drug store for a few others. Then to the grocery store for a few more things.
On my way back to the house, I made my plan.
We had a lovely afternoon, then dinner, then cake. Jo didn’t find her present so I put it back in my backpack taking it to my room. I needed to get some supplies for tomorrow. I know we are going to be followed. I am so pissed off. I was in the bathroom, getting my guns out from behind the claw foot tub, when the phone vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out, I checked the message. My heart relaxed a bit. Now to wait for plan A.
I didn’t sleep well; in fact, I don’t think I slept at all. I found myself looking out the windows all night. Come on, you fucker. I’ve waited a long time for this. I kept thinking I should just leave here and leave Jo with Ruth, but he knows now. He knows about her. I need to protect her, at all costs.
When the sun started rising, I was half asleep when a glint of light flashed outside. I jerked my head towards it. Grabbing my binoculars, I spied someone sitting in the patch of trees a few hundred yards away. I grabbed my knife and a gun and headed out the back door. I worked my way around behind him. Low and behold, a man with a rifle sat nice and secluded. I listened for a minute to him talking to someone.
“No, no movement yet. No, the boss said to wait until she returns from dropping off the old lady. Not the kid. The kid stays with the old woman. Just the woman. Just stay low, if we screw this up we are toast.”
He had an American accent, and there were two of them. Well boys aren’t you in for a surprise. I made my way back to the house, back to my room. It’s been fifteen hours everyone should be here. Now I hope this works or I’m dead.
I spent the day pacing back and forth. I didn’t know what to do. I called John just to talk but his phone went to voice mail. I called his secretary she said he had to suddenly go out of town on business and that he would be back in a day or two.
Not thinking I didn’t ask where he had gone. I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep. I had nothing. How could one person just disappear into thin air? I sat in the chair by the window in my room looking at my bed. I couldn’t bring myself to get in it. I must have dozed off, because when my phone rang I nearly jumped out of my skin. “Hello.”
“Hey brother, Jill said you called. Everything all right?”
“Oh yeah, I just had some free time, I thought we’d hang out.”
He laughed, “Well I’m in London. I had some business to finalize. Fucking company decided to sell at the last minute so I had to get my ass over here.”
“Oh yeah, the one you’ve been going back and forth about. I remember you going over there a few times.”
“Yeah, but hey I need to go. You sure everything is all right?”
He sounded strange to Paul, “Oh yeah, let’s do dinner when you get back.”
“Sounds like a plan we can celebrate my success.”
“Deal.”
He hung up. I just sat there looking at my phone. It was one in the afternoon in London. That didn’t make sense, my phone chimed with a text message. It was an out of area number. Swiping to the messages I opened it.
Surrey Quay Shopping Mall, Discovery Planet shop. Please Paul I need you
V.
I started a search, only to discover she was in London. My heart jumped, I grabbed my passport and ran out the door. Max dropped me off at my plane and we took off ten minutes later. Once we were in the air I got up and started pacing. How did she get to London? Why was she in London? She is or was MI6, shit she’s British. Closing my eyes, I searched our conversations trying to
pick up a hint of an accent. Nothing, she was good.
I pulled the other cell phone out of my pocket and turned it on. I had WIFI up here I wonder if the phone worked. Once it loaded, there was nothing. Turning it off I put it back in my pocket, and started pacing again.
Was she setting me up? No that didn’t make sense, they know I’m not Marciano. But they know who is. Did he find her? Did he figure out who she was? I have eight hours before I’m even on the ground. I need to chill the fuck out. I sat back down and tried to relax.
I let my mind wander to us making love. She is glorious. Then the fucking. Listening to her finally get a little vocal. My eyes flew open. She did have a British accent. I can hear her say the word God. I smiled. All the clues were right in front of me. But the one thing I can’t figure out was why she was working for my brother. Closing my eyes, I tried to get some sleep. I must have dozed off because I jerked awake when the plane touched down. Looking out the window, we were here. Jesus.
As I was walking through the airport to security I kept going over the conversation with Bower. He said that they figured out who Marciano was because of the work she did there. But they thought it was me. “Oh my god,” it hit me. ‘Don’t tell anyone.’ ‘Not a living breathing soul.’ ‘London.’ ‘Surrey.’ My brother is Andy Marciano. He killed Sylvia, he killed her brother. He’s there to kill her. “What the fuck.” I whispered. Oh my god she is going to kill my brother.
I have to stay calm. She is a trained agent. I am sure I am not the only one who she called. She isn’t stupid. But she has a child with her. How old did they say it was? Three, yes three years old. How is she going to protect a three-year-old? I picked up my pace again. Oh my god, this is the longest fucking terminal. It took forever but I was through security and outside looking for a cab.
Finally, I waved one down, “Can you take me to the Surrey Quay Shopping Mall, please?”
